agri-food and biosciences institute as data collectors and ... · agri-food and biosciences...
TRANSCRIPT
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute as Data Collectors
and Data Consumers to enhance sustainability of the
Irish Sea Nephrops norvegicus (L.) industry
Gareth Burns1, Annika Clements2 & Mathieu Lundy1
1Marine Fisheries Unit, Fisheries & Aquatic Ecosystem Branch2Coastal Zone Management, Fisheries & Aquatic Ecosystem Branch
About AFBI
• AFBI is based at seven sites across the Northern Ireland, with its
Headquarters at Newforge Lane, Belfast.
• The AFBI sites are located at Newforge Lane, (Belfast),
Crossnacreevy, Hillsborough, Stoney Road (Stormont), Loughgall,
Bushmills and Omagh.
Fisheries and Aquatic
Ecosystems Branch (FAEB)
FAEB conducts science programmes
across several core areas:
•Marine fisheries stock assessment
•Coastal zone science
•Biological oceanography and marine
ecosystem health
•Freshwater fisheries stock
assessment
Case Studies
Data Producers
Collection of data on the scientific Research Vessel Corystes
using Under Water Television Camera (UWTV) survey to
provide fisheries independent data for stock assessment of
Nephrops norvegicus (L.)
Data Consumers
Designating UK Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in valuable
fishing areas: A case study of the Irish Sea Nephrops
norvegicus (L.) grounds
Northern Irish fishing industry
-18°
-14°
-10°
-6°
-2°
48°
50°
52°
54°
56°
58°
60°
20-22
19
18
17
16
15 14
13VIb VIa
VIIc VIIb
VIIa
VIIg
VIIj
VIIh
VIIf
VIIe
VIIk
0 2000 4000 6000 8000
Nephrops
Herring
Scallops
Queen Scallops
Brown crab
Haddock
Mussels
Dogf ish
Green crab
Swiming crab
(13) Cod
(18) Plaice
(19) Hake
(22) Whiting
Case Study 1
Collection of data on the scientific Research Vessel Corystes
using Under Water Television Camera (UWTV) survey to
provide fisheries independent data for stock assessment of
Nephrops norvegicus (L.)
Summary of 2016 dedicated surveys
➢ 25th July – 3rd August 2016: UWTV survey: AFBI, MI, Cefas
➢ 9th – 13th August 2016: Trawl survey
➢ UWTV sledge was deployed over 165 times during the cruise, including re-do
stations.
➢ In the western Irish Sea 100 stations in the randomised fixed 4.5 nm grid were
successfully surveyed, with 10 re-dos (due to visibility)
➢ An additional 6 stations opportunistically surveyed in Belfast Lough (stations over
similar areas as 2015).
➢ In the eastern Irish Sea 48 stations were completed in the eastern Irish Sea (with
2 re-dos).
➢ 24 stations in FU15 and 2 stations in FU14 were sampled by Nephrops trawl
(50mm mesh size); 4 stations in FU15 and 6 stations in FU14 were sampled by 2m
beam trawl (2 mm mesh size): 14,075 Nephrops measured.
➢ Groundfish Cruise CO4316: beam trawl targeted TV ‘problem’ areas: 8 stations
targeted
UWTV setup
• Similar setup to previous years:
– 4 lasers (2 either side along base of field of view); 2 halogen lights;
SD camera; USBL; CTD; MI Access database populated at sea
– Sled runners replaced with wider runners and additional floats added
to reduce sled sinkage into softest mud
• USBL fully operational (no failures) on all stations
• Sled sinkage reduced and consistently able to view 4 lasers on
screen, providing reassurance re field of view
• Multiple issues with camera cable (which is not load bearing), DVD
recorder failures.
• Implemented Lin’s CCC to determine need for additional recounts
• Full business case submitted for replacement system to (a)
replace cables with load-bearing ones, and (b) move to HD
system… but dependent on funding….
• Database is being migrated to SQL (supported by AFBI) and QC
queries and scripts stream-lined. Server being installed on ship for
next year.
2016 FU15 UWTV stations
Data Flow at Sea
Data Visualisation for QA
Quality control: R scripts developed by MI
5.5 5.5
5.7
5.4
5.1
4.3
4.65.0 4.9
5.1
4.3
4.6
4.4
5.1
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012* 2013* 2014* 2015* 2016*
Bill
ion
of
bu
rro
ws
Survey Year
FU 15 western Irish Sea - Geostatistical adjusted abundance estimate
UWTV results: Two geostatistical analysis methods
applied:
– Surfer method (‘usual method’) using variogram selection
(exponential model) and kriging with same blanking file as
previous years: 5.076 billion burrows (corrected)
– R Geostats method (script by MI) using kriging and FU15
polygon: 5.156 billion burrows (corrected) (CV = 3%)
Case Study 2
Designating UK Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in valuable
fishing areas: A case study of the Irish Sea Nephrops
norvegicus (L.) grounds
Recap: Development of alternative sites• August 2014: Agreement made to progress development of alternative MCZ sites proposals, using AFBI
scientific data – October 2014: Stakeholder workshop (NI fishing industry reps, DARD, DOE, NGOs, JNCC, Natural England, AFBI) to sketch potential
alternative sites, based on available EUNIS habitats, geopolitical boundaries and fishing effort data.
• March 2015: Potential alternative sites were reviewed in terms of habitat suitability to meet MCZ
criteria, and also for potential for impact to fishing activity. Results were discussed in second Stakeholder
workshop and final alternatives decided for proposal to Defra.
• August-Sept 2015: The proposed alternative MCZ sites including
fisheries displacement considerations and habitat evidence were
presented to SNIAC, published online & circulated to stakeholders http://www.seafish.org/media/publications/Seafish_2015_Alternative_MCZs_in_Irish_Seafinal.
• Summer 2015: Due to paucity of habitat data over “Queenie Corner”,
additional grab sampling was completed. Data were analysed (infauna
and particle size analysis) & site boundary drawn*
• November 2015: Queenie Corner boundary provided to Defra & JNCC
• January 2016: all habitat evidence for Queenie Corner provided to
JNCC & Defra followed by meeting with JNCC (February 2016) to
discuss data appraisal. – Conclusion: Good confidence in feature presence and extent for subtidal mud
• March 2016: Full evidence base presented in Seafish-AFBI report, to
ensure good confidence in the feature extent – report published online
and circulated to stakeholders: http://www.seafish.org/media/publications/Evidence_base_mud_MCZs_IrishSea_v1_2-
FINAL.pdf
• September 2016: AFBI Multibeam survey of deeper section of Queenie
Corner (data processing ongoing)
• February 2017: JNCC meeting to clarify Tranche 3 processWhat changed between October 2014 workshop and January 2016 (final alternative MCZs
data provision to JNCC):• *Introduction of the Welsh Fishery Zone – reducing areas that could be designated for Tranche 3
of the MCZs process, which impacted on the “Queenie Corner” site
• Issues regarding interpretation of target areas – deeper than 20m? New depth band targets of 75-
200m?
Comparison of NI otter trawling annual effort hours at the
subtidal mud sites still under consideration
Conclusions
• Re-engaging stakeholders by making use of all
available data sources & transparency has allowed
development of ‘alternative sites’
• Lack of evidence of how closure will impact fishery
through displacement of effort, loss of income, or
wider ecological impact: more science needed! How
could closures benefit the wider ecosystem & support
fisheries?
• Ongoing issue of which site(s) could the alternative
Queenie Corner site replace in Tranche 3:
considerations of ecological connectivity and detailed
socio-economics (e.g. access by certain
communities/vessel lengths etc.)